Nestled into the concrete jungle of downtown Abilene lies a hidden gem, a green oasis, blushing with life and blooming with opportunity.
Lilly Lane Plant Co., Abilene’s first and only plant boutique, opened this past year. And while experiencing a bit of a rocky start, the plant store has taken root in the community and quickly become a staple among locals.
“We started getting our first shipments in January, right when we got that heavy snowstorm, and it was really, really cold,” said Kristen Nohl, the owner of Lilly Lane Plant Co. “It was nerve-wracking, and because of that storm, we ended up having to delay our opening, and we were so worried about the power going out and killing all of our plants.”
Thankfully, the power stayed on, and the shop’s grand opening was moved to Feb. 7, said Nohl.
“It turned out to be a good thing because it was a warmer weekend, and we had such an amazing turnout,” said Nohl. “I was honestly so shocked and surprised. I can’t even tell you how many times I cried that day because it was just so cool to see.”
Nohl said before opening the shop, plants have always been in her life. Growing up, both her parents were huge plant enthusiasts, and while she didn’t always enjoy it, plant shop trips were frequent.
“My mom had tons of house plants in the house, and funny enough, I actually really hated it as a kid,” said Nohl. “She would drag me along to the plant store, and I was just miserable the whole time. I was like, ‘It’s gross. It’s hot. It’s humid. I don’t like this. I want to go home.’ So it’s kind of funny that this is where I ended up.”
Nohl’s relationship with plants mimics the enemy-to-lovers trope. Her disdain for the hobby faded once she started her adult life and began collecting house plants of her own.
“I just kept getting more, and the collection kept growing, and it’s just really become my favorite thing to do, and there just wasn’t what I was looking for here in town,” said Nohl.
Nohl, herself, is a first-time business owner.
And after visiting a plant boutique in Fort Worth and seeing others online, she said she was inspired to start one of her own.
“It’s not just a place to shop. It’s a whole experience,” said Nohl.
When someone steps foot in the shop, they are instantly greeted with the sight of hundreds of different plant species almost spilling out from the shelves surrounding the store.
“We have several different growers that we use in Florida,” said Nohl. “So we order, and I have a broker that I use that helps us to source the healthiest plants and the best-looking plants from each one of these growers.”
Plants at the shop range from long, lush vines climbing toward the light to huge tropical species, spiny cacti and many more.
“We have plants that are great for beginners, and we have a lot of what are considered rare and collectible houseplants,” said Nohl.
Lilly Lane Plant Co. services don’t end with just selling plants; the shop also prides itself on serving as a knowledge hub to its customers and offering plant care advice and help when needed.
“We love to teach people how to care for them,” said Nohl. “We also have a place where people can reach out and text us for help anytime they need it. So it’s really about the experience and not just shopping for plants.”
The shop also offers repotting and plant spa services where the shop will take a customer’s house plant and repot it with fresh soil made in the shop, prune the plant and clean its leaves.
“We also do events and workshops,” said Nohl. “We’ve had two events so far, and we have two more coming up in June. And we’re hoping to start making them a little bit more frequent.
Through hosting workshops and events, Lilly Lane Plant Co. hopes to help educate the community on houseplants and remove the fear surrounding their care.
“I just really love teaching people and teaching them how to care for their plants,” said Nohl. “I love when they realize, ‘Oh, this is a lot easier than I realized, and maybe I can actually do this,’ and then seeing them come back a few weeks later like, ‘Oh, my plant’s so happy. I want another one.'”
“I really want to be able to grow our awareness that we are here and that we’re here to help and that we’re not just a plant shop and that we really want to educate people and be there to help people learn and have success with their plants at home,” added Nohl.
To learn more about Lilly Lane Plant Co. and its services and events, visit lilylaneplantco.com.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: New plant shop takes root in downtown Abilene
Reporting by Lauren Dossey, Abilene Reporter-News / Abilene Reporter-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Lauren Dossey, Abilene Reporter-News | USA TODAY Network
